Throttle-control device



Sept. 22, 1925. 1,554,687

s. NORDSTROM THROTTLE CONTROL Davcs Filed Hay 18. 1925 awww di 4 rra/mnsPatented Sept. 22, 1925.

UNITED life-TENT rnno'rrtnconritonnnvicn.

Appncanmalea May 1 8, 1925, sexier No. 30,515.

' certain neuT and useful Throttle-Control Devices, of which thefollowing is a specifica-- tion.

This invention relates to an improved means for controlling theoperation of engine throttles, and is especially adapted for use onautomobiles. In automobiles 'the throttle is usually controlled Lby anaccelera` tor which is conveniently located on the footboard foroperation by the foot -and means are provided for restoring thethrottleto a closed position `When the foot pressure is removed from theaccelerator. `When l`the driver of an automobile applies foot pressureto the accelerator to hold it in an intermediate position he finds itdifficult to hold it constantly in one yposition due to theujolti ing ofthe car from various causes which tends to Ycause hisfoot to vibrate theaccelerator, thereby intermittently applying `the gasto the engine andcausing' thefautomobile to jump or lunge. v The undesirable resultsoccasioned by the intermittent and undesired depression of theaccelerator are Well known and need not befurther referred to.

An object of the invention is to` provide an improved device of thischaracter which Will operate in asafe and reliable manner.

Another object of Vthe invention is to provide la throttle controldevice which isA capable of universal use regardless of the type of carand Which may readily kbe placed in operative position Withoutdisturbing any of the present throttle control mechanism of the car. .l

The invent-ion 4possesses `other advantageous features, some of 'whichwith the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following`description Where I lshall outline in full that form of the inventionwhich `I have selected for Villustration in the drawings ac:-companyingand forming kpartjnof the present specification.` In saiddra-wingsI liaveshovvn 'several forms of devices embodyingmy inlven'tionbut it is tobe understood that Ido not limit myself to suchforms, sincethe invention as set forth inthe claims may be embodied in a pluralityof other forms.

In the drawings: i

Figure l isan elevation of parts of a car.-

` buretor of an automobile illustrating the throttle `and accelerator athrottle "control de`v,ice` embodying cnaf-form, of my inventiomsh'omvn111i section, asgappl-ied:

. ,l l.` vie/vvv :vlllusja` tolawpush rod type of acc'eleratonA Q .Fig.-,2 is an enlarged sectional tratingithe' valvebf thevdeNicei.shown` inlfd: i i i i i I iii i rig., e is a, verf-iterate@ rilascia,1;ingLamodified ltypedef theform offfdeviee4 shown in Fig. linwhich thevalvedsyomittedi Fig. li illustrates, anotlier form of ydevice embodyingmyinvention positioned alongf side of the accelerator;fand` j Fig-f5illustrates a form of device 'similar to Athat shown infFig. 4; usedwith al foot pedalitype ofaccelerator..l` ,i

InFig. lthereare shown parts of; anaui tomobile carburetor including`anair `intake, 1',"a manifold 2 and athrottle valve?) posir tionedWithin the intake 1-. The throttle valve 3 is carried` by arotatableshaft, 4, which isirojtated by aL crank armf secured thereto;`Themox'femert `Tof the cra'nk arm 5 is limited by anadjustablestopQto4prevent the complete closure 'ofthe intakefbywthe throttle valv'e inthe usual,'mannerl i 'Flic crank arm 5 is 'connected by a` controlrod 7TWith one 'arniof acranklefver 8,'W'hich is pivoted at A9.7; The otherarm of the crank lever 8 *is 'provided with 'aislot 10) to laccommodatea pin 11 o'n accelerator 212 vvhichi's f of `the push rod type.V @Theaccelerator, 12 extends through an vopening 1-3 inthefoot board 14` ofvan automobile, and is .slidably supported on the'l under side ofsaidvboard by a guide member '15 as sliowniin-Figfl. The upper end 'ofthe accelerator is;piovide'd With a bu'tt'on or knob 16 forconveniencein foot operation y A spring lf secured at one end to the crank armi,`and secured at its other endfto; some iixedgconvenient point 4,on

the automobile,` not illustrated, normally urges` the throttle valve "3to y its closedy ,posif tion, as indicatedinFignl, and through theconnections described, fraises the f accelerator toitsextendedenuppermostposition:y The partsthus far described `comprise`theQusual throttle control mechanism addof'not per se form a :part of,my. present irnfentirni.` In operatiofln the automobile fdriverappliesfoot pressure to theacceleiator 12and When driving endeavors to maintainthesame in an internietliateposition; however; asab'o've set forth, due"to jolts from-.various causes,

the accelerator is vibrated.thscausing,the

secar to suddenly'juip Or funge ina `vlel'l' une.

derstood manner. In orderto overcome this diiiiculty I have provided animproveddevice designed to absorb these undesirable and sudden jolts andavoid the transmission of the same to the throttle valve, withoutinterfering with the normal operation vof the same. This devicecomprises a resilient spherical hollow member 18, preferably of rubber,which has two diametrically oppo-r site openings 19,20, to receive theaccelerator12. Preferably, member or ball'18` is provided with internalcollars 21, 22 around the openings, 19,20, respeetively,lso as' toclosely it around the accelerator 12 and prevent leakage." Themember 18is provided' with a valve 23 which ish seated to rapidly admit air tothemember 18 after it has been depressed so that it mayrapidly expand andresume its normal' position, butv which closes when the member 18 isdepressed. In order to permit the member 18 to be slowly depressed, asmall Vdischarge passage 25 through the stem 24 of said valveisprovided. As shown in Fig. 1, the ball or member 18 is positioned ontheV accelerator betweenl the foot b oard 14 and the knob 16, so that.when foot pressureisappliedto `the accelerator 12, themember 18 isslowly 'deit israpidly krestored to 'its raised position v pressed, itsmovementbeing retarded by the limited escape of air throughtherestricted passage 25 in thev valve 23, andwhenfoot pressure isremoved v.fromthe accelerator 12,

through the action of lspring 17, :the rapid expansion'of the member `orball 18 being possible since the valve 23 is now open., f

In-view of the foregoing detailed description of a Vdevice embodying myinvention, its operation will be readilyunderstood from a briefdescription thereof. v f

If the throttlevvalve 3 is in its closedpositionjas shown in -iFig 1, itcan beopened lto any desired degree by applying foot pressure on theAknob 16'.v While the member 18 does not interfere with'the normaloperation of the throttle valve, it prevents the same' from beingopenedtfoo fast by opposing the downward movement of the accelerator. Bythis opposition, undesirableV pressures on the accelerator due Vtoy`jolts 'from rough roads and other' causes, are absorbed and nottransmitted tov thefthrottle valve in a well understood manner, jv f InFig..3 I have showna modified type of 'device embodying myinvention..Hereim the shock absorbing element 18', which corresponds to the member18 in Fig. 1, is positioned in a similar manner on the accelerator 12.In this form of device, the internal collars 21 and 22 and the valve 23have been omitted, and the'ballf18 is provided with simple openings19pand 20 for the accelerator. Since the collars 21 and 22` have :beenomitted, there is suiiicient leakage through the openings 19and20..to`make the valve 23 unnecessary. Otherwise, the operation of thisembodiment of the invention is similar to that described in connectionwith Fig. 1.

In Fig. 4 I have shown another form of device embodying my invention.IIerein, the member 18, which corresponds to the member 18 in Fig. 1, isprovided with a corresponding valve 23 and instead of the acceleratorextending through thesame, said member 18 is suitably supported such asin a hemispherical cup 26, alongside of the ac:

celerator 12, so that the drivers foot, as indica-ted at 27, may rest onthe knob 16 and ball 18 simultaneously. In this arrangement, the member18 opposes the sudden or rapid downward movement of the accelerator 12,in a manner similar to that above described.

If, instead of the push rod type of accelerator as above described, afoot pedal type of accelerator is used, such as is shown at 28 in Fig.5, a shock absorbing member 18, supported in a cup 26, such as is shownin Fig. 4, may be readily used, in which case, the member 18 and cup 26are positioned underneath the foot pedal as shown in Fig. 5.

It will therefore be seen that my iinproved device may be readilyapplied to eithertype of accelerator, without disturbing vany of thethrottlecontrol mechanism.

I claim: f 1. A device of the character described comprising anaccelerator and a hollow member of resilient material having leak-l agemeans, said-memberbeing positioned to oppose the rapid movement oftheaccelerator in one'direction. i

2. A. device `of 'the character described comprising an accelerator andmeans opposing the rapid movement of the accelerator in one directioncomprising a hollow member of resilient material having a valve.

3. A device of the character described comprising an accelerator andmeans opposing the rapid downward movement of the accelerator,comprisinga hollow spherical member' of resilient material having a valve.

4. A device of the character described comprising an accelerator andmeans controlling the movement of said accelerator comprising a hollowmember of resilient material having means for opposing the rapidmovement of said accelerator in one direction and permitting itsy rapidmovement in the opposite'direction.

5. A device of the character described comprising an accelerator, and arubber ball arranged to oppose the rapid movement `of the 'acceleratorin one direction khaving a valve.

6. A device ofthe character described comprising an accelerator, and arubber ball having a valve arranged to oppose the rapid movement of theacceleratorI in one direction and permit its rapid movement in theopposite direction.

7. A device of the character described comprising an accelerator ot' thepush rod type extending through the toot board oit an automobile, andhaving at its free end means adapted to be engaged by the toot ot thedriver, and a hollow member of resilient material having a valve, saidmember being positioned between Said means and said foot board opposingthe rapid downward movement of said accelerator.

8. A device of the character described comprising an accelerator of thepush rod type extending through the foot board of an automobile, andhaving at its free end means adapted to be vengaged by thev foot of thedriver and a 'rubber ball, having leakage means positioned between saidmeans and said foot board.

9. A device of the character described comprising an accelerator of thepush rod type extending through the foot board ot an automobile, andhaving at its tree end means adapted to be engaged by the foot ot thedriver and a rubber ball positioned between said means and said footboard, said accelerator extending through said ball.

l0. A device of the character described comprising an accelerator of thepush rod type extending through the foot board of an automobile, andhaving at its -tree end means adapted to be engaged by the foot of thedriver and a rubber ball positioned between said means and said 'footboard, said rubber ball having an air valve arranged to close when theball is depressed and to open when the ball expands.

11. A device of the character described comprising an accelerator of thepush rod type extending through the foot board of an automobile, andhaving at its free end means adapted to be engaged by the toot of thedriver and a rubber ball positioned be tween said means and said footboard, said rubber ball having an air valve arranged to admit air freelywhen the ball. expands and to permit a slow discharge of air from theball when it is depressed. 4

12. A device of the character described comprising an acceleratorextending through the foot'board of an automobile and having a knob atits free end, a rubber ball posi tioned between said foot board and saidknob, said accelerator passing through said ball, collars on said ballsurrounding said accelerator to prevent leakage from the ball and an airvalve'in said ball arranged to permit a slow discharge of air therefromwhen the ballis depressed and to admit air rapidly to said ball when itexpands.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

SVEN J. NORDSTROM.

